The idea of canceling the tournament, once considered unthinkable, gained traction this week as several sports leagues and conferences either canceled, postponed or limited access to competition. Hall of Famer and Turner Sports commenter Charles Barkley said on Thursday that canceling or postponing March Madness is "the right thing to do."

The NCAA — which makes $771 million annually in TV deals tied to March Madness — told Sporting News on March 2 it would monitor COVID-19, but otherwise expected to move forward with the tournament as planned. In the 10 days since, however, multiple conferences under the NCAA's jurisdiction took steps to limit the spread of the coronavirus. The NCAA on Wednesday announced it would continue March Madness without spectators before making Thursday's announcement.

The NCAA is not the only sports league canceling play. The NBA on Wednesday announced a decision to suspend play indefinitely while it determines how to move forward "in regard to the coronavirus pandemic." That decision was made after an NBA player — reportedly Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz — tested positive for the coronavirus. The NHL's regular season and playoffs likewise are on hold. Major League Baseball decided to postpone Opening Day, originally set for March 26, for at least two weeks.

The NCAA's cancellation includes all men's and women's sports during the winter and spring seasons.

Several conferences under the NCAA's jurisdiction also took steps to stem the spread of COVID-19. The Ivy League was the first to suspend athletic competition, including its men's and women's basketball tournaments. Several other conferences followed suit in regard to their postseason tournaments on Thursday, including the ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC, among others.